With fall semester coming to a close, CIU students took a break from their studies and donned their silliest clothes for Student Union’s Spirit Week, held Nov. 4-9. The week featured dress-up days, and a variety of fun activities, all leading up to the annual CIU Bowl, held Nov. 9.

“[Our] goal was to encourage the students to have fun ... and enhance the good community that we already have in the student body,” Student Union member and sophomore Katie Baum said.

Spirit Week kicked off with a special “Bible Trivia” chapel on Monday. Each residence hall sent one representative to compete in the game show-style competition. The prize? A gift card for the hall to share.

The festivities continued on Tuesday, as students put on their blue and gold to support the men’s and women’s basketball teams, who played home games that evening.

The following day, residence halls competed in “Decades Day,” with each residence hall assigned to dress in a different decade. Walker Hall won the competition with their 1950s attire.

“My favorite [day] was Decades Day,” freshman Lydia West said. “I really love seeing people get into the different activities.”

Throughout the week, Student Union also encouraged students to take a break from their studies. They hosted a game night, a free car wash, and a movie night to get students connected and having fun.

The week culminated on Saturday with the much-anticipated CIU Bowl. The CIU Bowl is an annual flag football game. Students divide into two teams, North and South, with separate games for men and women. Most teams begin practice weeks before, and students volunteer to coach each of the teams.

“The girls were eager to practice and loved learning how to play,” North women’s coach and junior Jacob Calder said. “It just made coaching so much fun.”

Ultimately, the South teams swept the tournament. The women won their game12-6, and the men won 40-2.

“The team had an amazing time and loved every moment of the game,” Calder said. “Many girls said they can't wait to play again next year.”